Kiplinger

5 Key Financial Aid Considerations When Saving for College

Parents of young children see a lot advice about saving for college. Trying to save for the full sticker price can be daunting -- even for an in-state public school. For most people, it makes sense to consider how much financial aid your family might receive when developing a savings strategy.

The key is to be realistic. Rules of thumb might be useful, but they could also be inappropriate for your situation. And whatever you do, don't let the quest for financial aid eligibility deter you from saving.

When factoring financial aid into your estimate of the savings you will need, consider these five points.

1. Colleges probably expect you to pay more than you think you can afford.

The government and most colleges award financial aid based on your FAFSA, the Free Application for

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